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The best thermostat setting is the one your household finds comfortable; there is no temperature everyone is required to use. To reduce heating use, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) suggests trying a setback of 7–10°F from your normal setting for about eight hours a day, such as while you sleep or are away. DOE estimates this may save as much as 10% on heating, but that is not a guaranteed result for an individual home. Before changing a schedule, check the guidance for your heating equipment—especially if you have a heat pump or variable-capacity system.
What thermostat setting should you start with?
Start with the temperature that feels comfortable to the people in your home, then consider lowering it by 7–10°F for an eight-hour stretch when the home is unoccupied or people are asleep. The setback is a change from your household’s normal setting, not a universal target temperature. The DOE’s renter guidance describes this approach as a way to reduce heating use and says it may save as much as 10% on heating.
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For example, if your usual occupied setting is 68°F, a 7–10°F setback would mean trying 61–58°F during the selected period. That is an illustration of the arithmetic, not a recommended temperature for every home. If that range is uncomfortable, or does not suit anyone in the household, use a smaller adjustment or skip the setback. DOE has explicitly said that Americans should set thermostats to whatever temperature they choose; its statement presents energy-saving guidance as an option, not a mandate. Read the DOE statement on thermostat settings.
There is no single setting that guarantees comfort and the lowest bill for every building. Comfort preferences, the amount of time people are home, local weather, the building, fuel, and heating equipment all affect the result. Treat a setback as a starting point to adapt—not a rule to follow regardless of how your home or system responds.
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Think of your normal occupied temperature as a personal baseline, not a number you have to match to an outside standard. One household may prefer a warmer room; another may be comfortable at a lower setting. The DOE’s official statement, dated August 21, 2019, says, “It is the position of DOE that Americans should set their thermostats to whatever temperature they choose.” It also points people who want greater energy savings to the 2009 ENERGY STAR report as a resource, if they choose to use it. The practical takeaway is that comfort comes first, and energy-saving adjustments are optional.
When should you turn the heat down?
Try a setback during a predictable stretch when nobody needs the usual occupied setting: overnight, or while the home is empty during the day. The DOE’s suggested benchmark is 7–10°F below your normal setting for about eight hours daily. You do not need to use the same window every day; choose a period that fits your routine and comfort.
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For a night setback, use the hours when household members are asleep as the possible eight-hour window. If people have different schedules or one person is awake while others are sleeping, choose a smaller change or a different period if that better fits the household. For an away setback, use the time the home is actually empty rather than copying a conventional workday schedule. If someone is home during the day, an automatic daytime reduction may not be appropriate for that household.
ENERGY STAR’s older programmable thermostat guide gives an illustrative schedule with occupied wake and evening periods below 70°F, plus at least an 8°F setback during daytime absence and sleep. It tells households to treat the schedule as a starting point and adjust it to their routines and comfort. Because the guide dates to 2009, its example should not be treated as a current, universal timetable. Use the general idea—a lower setting when the home does not need its normal occupied temperature—rather than copying clock times that do not fit your day.
That example can help clarify the principle without turning it into a prescription: the schedule has occupied periods and lower periods, and the specific temperatures and hours are adjusted to the household. The ENERGY STAR guide’s “below 70°F” language is not a requirement, nor is its example a promise of a particular bill reduction. Current DOE renter guidance gives the more general benchmark of a 7–10°F adjustment from the normal setting for about eight hours a day.
How do you set a schedule that works?
Choose the setback window around your actual routine, make a modest change if the full 7–10°F range is not comfortable, and check that the control is appropriate for your heating system. A schedule is only useful if it fits both the household and the equipment.
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- Identify your normal setting. Use the temperature your household chooses for occupied periods as the reference point. The DOE’s guidance is a relative adjustment from that normal setting, not a required absolute temperature.
- Pick an eight-hour period to try. Sleep or a regular stretch away from home are common possibilities. If your schedule varies, a fixed clock-based program may be inconvenient; consider whether manual adjustment or an appropriate smart thermostat’s automation is a better fit.
- Set a lower temperature for that period. If comfortable and suitable for your equipment, try 7–10°F below your normal setting. If that change does not work for the household, use a smaller setback or choose another approach.
- Check the equipment instructions. Confirm thermostat compatibility and any manufacturer guidance about setbacks, schedules, or recovery settings. This matters especially for heat pumps, variable-capacity systems, and very high-efficiency equipment.
- Keep the schedule only if it suits your household. A programmed schedule requires you to enter the times and temperatures. Smart thermostats may offer remote control, schedule learning, or occupancy-related automation, but features vary by model. Make sure the schedule reflects when people are actually home and what they find comfortable.
If a schedule becomes a source of discomfort or does not match your day, revise it rather than preserving it for the sake of automation. A programmable thermostat can remove the need to remember regular changes, while a smart thermostat may offer more flexible control. Neither type makes a poorly matched schedule useful.
Before programming, write down the household’s likely occupied and unoccupied periods for a typical day. A simple schedule may need only a lower interval for sleep, or a lower interval for a regular daytime absence. If the pattern changes from day to day, a manually adjusted setting may be easier to maintain than repeatedly editing a fixed program. Smart features can help some households handle changing plans, but they are useful only if they operate as expected with the system and the people using them.
Review the schedule after trying it. Ask whether the lower period actually coincided with an empty or sleeping household, whether anyone found it uncomfortable, and whether the equipment maker allows that kind of setback. Adjust one part of the schedule at a time so it is clear what is working. There is no need to preserve a complicated program simply because the thermostat supports it; the purpose is to make a reasonable adjustment convenient, not to automate a schedule that does not fit.
How much can a setback or smart thermostat save?
Use published savings figures as estimates tied to their stated conditions—not as a prediction for your own bill. DOE’s estimate of as much as 10% on heating concerns a 7–10°F setback for about eight hours a day. ENERGY STAR publishes separate estimates for certified smart thermostats, with different framing and qualifications.
ENERGY STAR says certified smart thermostats save approximately 8% of heating and cooling bills, or about $50 per year on average. It notes that actual savings can be greater or smaller depending on climate, comfort preferences, occupancy, and HVAC equipment. A separate ENERGY STAR guidance estimate says savings may be about $100 per year for homes with high heating and cooling bills or substantial daytime vacancy. That is a distinct estimate for a differently described group of homes; it should not be added to the $50 figure or presented as a likely result for every buyer. See the ENERGY STAR smart thermostat FAQs and its heating and cooling guidance.
These figures describe different things. The DOE figure is about turning a thermostat back for a specified period; ENERGY STAR’s average smart-thermostat estimates concern certified products and household energy-bill savings. Your home’s outcome depends on its circumstances and use. Do not assume that buying a smart thermostat alone will produce a particular reduction, or that a national average applies to your bill.
The estimates are not interchangeable. The DOE’s “as much as 10%” figure is specifically tied to a 7–10°F adjustment for about eight hours a day and concerns heating. ENERGY STAR’s approximately 8% or $50 annual figure covers heating and cooling bills on average for certified smart thermostats. The separate approximately $100 estimate applies to homes described as having high heating and cooling bills or substantial daytime vacancy. None is a guaranteed result, and the percentages should not be added together.
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ENERGY STAR’s certification criteria also include runtime-reduction thresholds evaluated across populations, plus device requirements such as static temperature accuracy of no more than ±2.0°F and average network standby power no greater than 3.0 W. The runtime criteria specify at least an 8% reduction for the lower 95% confidence limit of the weighted national average for heating and at least 10% for cooling; weighted national averages of the 20th percentiles must be at least 4% for heating and 5% for cooling. These are product-certification criteria, not a promise of equivalent bill savings in a particular house. The full criteria are on ENERGY STAR’s smart thermostat criteria page.
Those technical thresholds answer a different question from “How much will my bill fall?” Certification evaluates devices against criteria that include performance across evaluated populations and product characteristics. A homeowner’s bill depends on the actual equipment, schedule, occupancy, weather, and comfort choices. Certification can help identify products that meet ENERGY STAR requirements; it cannot tell you exactly what a particular household will save.
Do heat pumps need different thermostat settings?
Do not assume that generic setback advice works the same way for every heat pump. DOE says programmable thermostats have generally not been recommended for heat pump systems, while noting that some companies now sell models that make setbacks cost-effective. Follow the equipment maker’s advice before applying a conventional schedule.
Variable-capacity heat pumps and air conditioners add another compatibility concern. ENERGY STAR says these systems generally perform best with a manufacturer-recommended thermostat, whether or not that thermostat is ENERGY STAR certified. Its buying guidance also says owners of very high-efficiency equipment may want a controller from the same manufacturer. If you are unsure whether a setback, thermostat, or recovery setting is appropriate, consult the equipment documentation or an HVAC professional. A generic temperature rule should not override system-specific guidance.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteThis is a reason to check before buying as well as before programming. A thermostat that works with a conventional system may not provide the controls a variable-capacity or high-efficiency system needs. Start with the equipment model and its documentation, then check the thermostat’s compatibility information. If the instructions do not make clear whether setbacks or a particular recovery behavior are appropriate, ask the manufacturer or an HVAC professional rather than guessing from a general energy-saving schedule.
Should you use a programmable or smart thermostat?
A programmable thermostat may be enough if your household has a regular routine and you want temperature changes to happen automatically at set times. A smart thermostat may suit people who want remote control or features such as schedule learning or occupancy-related adjustments. Neither choice is automatically best: compatibility and household habits matter as much as the feature list.
- Choose by the schedule you can maintain. A programmable model requires you to enter its schedule. Smart models differ in how they handle schedules and automation; confirm the model’s actual features instead of assuming every one learns or detects occupancy.
- Check system compatibility first. Identify the HVAC system type and consult its manufacturer’s thermostat guidance. Variable-capacity and high-efficiency equipment may call for a manufacturer-recommended controller.
- Confirm installation requirements. Check the model’s wiring and control requirements, and whether it needs Wi-Fi for the features you want. ENERGY STAR advises checking compatibility because smart thermostat models and features differ.
- Consider whether automation helps your routine. Remote access or automatic adjustments may be useful when plans change, but they are not necessary for every household. A straightforward schedule can be a better fit if your routine is predictable.
ENERGY STAR maintains information about certified smart thermostats. Local utilities may offer rebates or other incentives, but availability depends on location and program terms. Check with your utility or use the federal tax credits, rebates, and savings resource; no particular offer can be assumed without knowing where you live.
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When comparing models, begin with the heating and cooling equipment rather than a feature checklist. Verify the HVAC type the thermostat supports, follow any manufacturer recommendation, and check the needed wiring and controls. Then decide whether the household will benefit from Wi-Fi, remote access, scheduling, learning, or occupancy-related automation. A lower-cost or simpler programmable model may be enough for regular hours; a smart model may be more useful when schedules change or remote adjustments matter. The available guidance does not establish a universal price or payback period, so weigh the cost of the product and installation against features you will actually use.
Rebates are local and program-specific. A utility may offer an incentive for a smart thermostat or a demand-response program, but eligibility, participating models, and timing can vary. Check current terms with your utility or look for relevant programs through DOE’s rebates and savings resource. Do not assume a rebate will be available where you live or that it applies to every thermostat.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Frequently asked questions
How low should I set my thermostat at night?
DOE suggests trying a setting 7–10°F below your normal temperature for about eight hours a day, and sleep may be a convenient period. That is an optional benchmark, not a required nighttime temperature. Use a smaller adjustment or no setback if it does not suit your household, and check the equipment maker’s recommendations, particularly for a heat pump or variable-capacity system.
What temperature should I set my thermostat when I’m away?
There is no required away temperature. If the home is empty for a predictable stretch, DOE’s general approach is to try a 7–10°F setback from the normal setting for about eight hours daily. Choose a window that matches when people are actually away, and adapt the change to comfort and equipment guidance. The example is not a guarantee of a particular bill reduction.
How much can turning down the thermostat save?
DOE estimates that a 7–10°F setback for about eight hours a day may save as much as 10% on heating. The result varies by home, so treat it as an estimate rather than a promise. ENERGY STAR’s separate smart thermostat estimates—approximately 8% or $50 a year on average, and about $100 for some homes with high bills or substantial daytime vacancy—have different contexts and should not be combined.
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Does ENERGY STAR certification mean a thermostat will cut my bill by a specific amount?
No. Certification criteria evaluate device characteristics and population-level runtime performance; they do not establish a guaranteed savings amount for an individual home. ENERGY STAR’s published household savings estimates are averages, and the agency says results vary with climate, occupancy, comfort preferences, and equipment.
Can I use an older programmable thermostat guide as my exact schedule?
It is better used as an example than as a current prescription. ENERGY STAR’s sample schedule is from a 2009 guide, which advises adapting its times and temperatures to the household’s routine and comfort.
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Where can I find a thermostat rebate for my home?
Check your electric or gas utility’s current programs and eligibility rules, since offers vary by location. The DOE’s rebates and savings page is another starting point, but it does not mean a rebate is available in every area.
Should I buy a smart thermostat to save on heating?
Not automatically. A smart thermostat can offer features such as remote control, schedule learning, or occupancy-related automation, but features vary by model and compatibility matters. ENERGY STAR’s savings estimates are averages, not guarantees. Check that the model suits your system and routine, and consider whether you will use the features before buying.
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Do not assume that a generic programmable schedule is suitable. DOE says programmable thermostats have generally not been recommended for heat pumps, while noting that some companies offer models that make setbacks cost-effective. Consult the heat pump manufacturer’s instructions or an HVAC professional about compatible controls and settings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does ENERGY STAR certification mean a thermostat will cut my bill by a specific amount?
No. Certification criteria evaluate device characteristics and population-level runtime performance; they do not establish a guaranteed savings amount for an individual home. ENERGY STAR’s published household savings estimates are averages, and the agency says results vary with climate, occupancy, comfort preferences, and equipment.
Can I use an older programmable thermostat guide as my exact schedule?
It is better used as an example than as a current prescription. ENERGY STAR’s sample schedule is from a 2009 guide, which advises adapting its times and temperatures to the household’s routine and comfort.
Where can I find a thermostat rebate for my home?
Check your electric or gas utility’s current programs and eligibility rules, since offers vary by location. The DOE’s rebates and savings page is another starting point, but it does not mean a rebate is available in every area.
How low should I set my thermostat at night?
DOE suggests trying a setting 7–10°F below your normal temperature for about eight hours a day, and sleep may be a convenient period. It is an optional benchmark, not a required nighttime temperature. Use a smaller adjustment or skip it if it does not suit your household, and check equipment guidance, especially for heat pumps and variable-capacity systems.
What temperature should I set my thermostat when I’m away?
There is no required away temperature. If the home is empty for a predictable stretch, DOE’s general approach is to try a 7–10°F setback from the normal setting for about eight hours daily. Match the window to your routine and adapt the change to comfort and equipment guidance.
The Bottom Line
Use your household’s comfortable setting as the baseline, then consider a 7–10°F setback for about eight hours when people are asleep or away—if that schedule suits your equipment. DOE says this may save as much as 10% on heating, but savings are not guaranteed. Check manufacturer guidance before applying generic setbacks to heat pumps, variable-capacity systems, or high-efficiency equipment.
